The Magnolia Sword: a Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas

The Magnolia Sword: a Ballad of Mulan

A Ballad of Mulan

Sherry Thomas

Lee & Low Books · Print & ebook · September 10, 2019

Bestselling writer Sherry Thomas weaves an enthralling retelling of a story that has thrilled readers for centuries: the ballad of Mulan.

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Who it’s for
A Mulan retelling brings martial-arts drama, disguise, romance, and dynastic danger into one sweeping adventure.
Themes
Family duty and revenge, War and invasion, Identity and disguise
Pacing
Fast

About this book

Bestselling writer Sherry Thomas weaves an enthralling retelling of a story that has thrilled readers for centuries: the ballad of Mulan. CHINA, 484 A.D. A Warrior in Disguise All her life, Mulan has trained for one purpose: to win the duel that every generation in her family must fight. If she prevails, she can reunite a pair of priceless heirloom swords separated decades earlier, and avenge her father, who was paralyzed in his own duel.

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Then a messenger from the Emperor arrives, demanding that all families send one soldier to fight the Rouran invaders in the north. Mulan's father cannot go. Her brother is just a child. So she ties up her hair, takes up her sword, and joins the army as a man. A War for a Dynasty Thanks to her martial arts skills, Mulan is chosen for an elite team under the command of the princeling--the royal duke's son, who is also the handsomest man she's ever seen. But the princeling has secrets of his own, which explode into Mulan's life and shake up everything she knows. As they cross the Great Wall to face the enemy beyond, Mulan and the princeling must find a way to unwind their past, unmask a traitor, and uncover the plans for the Rouran invasion ... before it's too late. Inspired by wuxia martial-arts dramas as well as the centuries-old ballad of Mulan, The Magnolia Sword is perfect for fans of Renee Ahdieh, Marie Lu, or Kristin Cashore--a thrilling, romantic, and sharp-edged novel that lives up to its beloved heroine.

Steel and Secrets

A Mulan retelling brings martial-arts drama, disguise, romance, and dynastic danger into one sweeping adventure.

Come here for

  • A heroine balancing family duty with life in disguise
  • Wuxia-inspired swordplay and a complicated royal ally

Expect

  • Historical adventure with romantic tension
  • Secrets and political danger beyond the Great Wall

Where it sits

Historical YA - Asia59%
War & Military YA44%
Historical YA Romance41%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Historical YA - Asia
  • War & Military YA
Authors
Sherry Thomas
Publisher
Lee & Low Books
Published
September 10, 2019
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Family duty and revenge · War and invasion · Identity and disguise
Reading lane
Historical YA - Asia